Petunia plant named ‘Jam Litbule’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Jam Litbule’, characterized by its low trailing, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; large single flowers that are violet blue in color; and good garden performance.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Petunia×hybrida cultivarJam Litbule.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petuniaplant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida, and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name Jam Litbule.

The new Petunia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Gilroy, Calif. The objective of the breeding program isto create new freely flowering Petunias with trailing and spreadingplant habit and attractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Petunia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventorin September, 2000 of the Petunia×hybrida cultivar Celebration BlueCrystal, not patented, as the female, or seed parent, with thePetunia×hybrida Petunia cultivar Surfinia Blue, not patented, as themale, or pollen parent. The new Petunia was selected as a single plantfrom the resulting progeny of the cross-pollination in a controlledenvironment in Gilroy, Calif. in March, 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttingssince March, 2001, in Gilroy, Calif. has shown that the unique featuresof this new Petunia are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Jam Litbule have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, light intensity anddaylength without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Jam Litbule’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Jam Litbule’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Low trailing, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Large single flowers that are violet blue in color.    -   5. Good garden performance.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gilroy, Calif., plants of thenew Petunia differed from plants of the female parent, the cultivarCelebration Blue Crystal, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia flowered earlier than plants of the        cultivar Celebration Blue Crystal.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia and the cultivar Celebration Blue        Crystal differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar        Celebration Blue Crystal had violet blue-colored flowers with        distinct venation.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gilroy, Calif., plants of thenew Petunia differed from plants of the male parent, the cultivarSurfinia Blue, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia flowered earlier than plants of the        cultivar Surfinia Blue.    -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Petunia were lighter violet blue        in color than flowers of plants of the cultivar Surfinia Blue.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the cultivarSurfinia Sky Blue, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conductedin Gilroy, Calif., plants of the new Petunia differed from plants of thecultivar Surfinia Sky Blue in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Petunia were narrower than leaves        of plants of the cultivar Surfinia Sky Blue.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia were more freely flowering than        plants of the cultivar Surfinia Sky Blue.    -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Petunia were larger and darker        in color than flowers of plants of the cultivar Surfinia Sky        Blue.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Petunia.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical plant of ‘Jam Litbule’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers and leaves of ‘Jam Litbule’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar Jam Litbule have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype. The aforementionedphotographs and following observations and measurements describe plantsgrown in Gilroy, Calif., under commercial practice in apolyethylene-covered greenhouse during the summer with day temperaturesranging from 24 to 29° C., night temperatures ranging from 13 to 18° C.and light levels about 2,000 foot-candles. Plants used for thephotographs and description were about 12 weeks from planting rootedcuttings. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida cultivar Jam Litbule.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Petunia×hybrida cultivar Celebration Blue            Crystal, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Petunia×hybrida cultivar Surfinia Blue, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About 10 to 12            days at 23° C.        -   Time to develop roots, summer and winter.—About 18 to 23            days at 23° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Annual flowering plant; indeterminate; initially            upright, then low trailing and outwardly spreading;            uniformly mounded plant form. Freely branching habit, about            eight basal branches each with about three or four lateral            branches. Pinching enhances development of lateral branches.        -   Usage.—Appropriate for hanging backets, window boxes, patio            containers and landscape applications.        -   Plant height.—About 20 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 56 cm.        -   Vigor.—Vigorous; rapid growth rate.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 38 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Internode length: About 3 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color:            144A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate before            flowering; opposite after flowers develop; simple. Length:            About 6.7 cm. Width: About 3.4 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex:            Broadly acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; glandular. Venation            pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Color: Developing leaves, upper            surface: 147B. Developing leaves, lower surface: 147C. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: 146A. Fully expanded leaves,            lower surface: 146B. Venation, upper surface: 147C.            Venation, lower surface: 146B. Petiole length: About 6 mm.            Petiole diameter: About 4 mm. Petiole color, upper and lower            surfaces: 144C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single salverform flowers; flowers            face mostly upward or outward; axillary. Freely flowering            habit, about two to three open flowers and about three            flower buds per lateral branch at one time.        -   Natural flowering season.—Long day responsive; long            flowering period, spring until frost in the autumn;            flowering continuous during this period. Plants start            flowering about eight weeks after planting rooted cuttings.            Flowers persistent.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About one week.        -   Fragrance.—Faint, sweet.        -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 6 cm. Tube length: About            3.2 cm. Throat diameter, distal end: About 8 mm. Tube            diameter, proximal end: About 4 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.5 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.            Shape: Elongated oblong with ruffled apices. Color: 85A.        -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: About five petals fused in a            single whorl, funnelform. Length from throat: About 2.7 cm.            Width: About 2.4 cm. Shape: Roughly fan-shaped. Apex:            Broadly acute. Margin: Entire; undulate. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, satiny. Color: When opening, upper            surface: 86A. When opening, lower surface: 86C. Fully            opened, upper surface: 90B; color becoming closer to 85B            with development. Fully opened, lower surface: 85A to 85B.            Flower throat (inside): 85A. Flower tube (outside): 144C to            144D. Venation, upper petal surface: 90A. Venation, lower            petal surface: 145C. Venation, throat: 79A. Venation, tube:            145C.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five sepals            fused at base, star-shaped. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width:            About 4 mm. Shape: Ligulate. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            surface: 146A. Color, lower surface: 146B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.7 cm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Angle:            About 45 to 60° from the stem. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Pubescent. Color: 146C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About            five. Anther shape: Ovoid. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther            color: 202C. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 194A.            Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About            2.7 cm. Style length: About 2.2 cm. Style color: 144C.            Stigma shape: Anvil-shaped. Stigma color: 144A. Ovary color:            145A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and/or fruit production has not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Petunia.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to    have good garden performance. Plants of the new Petunia have been    noted to tolerate rain, wind and temperatures from 0 to 40° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Jam Litbule’, asillustrated and described.